EDMOND, Okla. – No. 1 Rogers State softball (9-0) continued its undefeated start to the season as they swept No. 16 Southern Arkansas (11-1) and Southwestern Oklahoma State (3-7) on the second day of the Raising Cane's Softball Festival.
 
GAME 1 – No. 1 RSU 3, No. 16 SAU 2
 
The first game of the day was a classic pitcher's duel between two top 25 powerhouses. Both starters scattered three total hits in the first four innings. The Hillcats stranded seven runners in the those frames with the Muleriders stranding three.
 
SAU got on the board first in the bottom of the fifth with two runs. The first run scored on a single up the middle. The second run scored on a single through the left side of the infield.
 
The Hillcats answered back with three runs in the top of the sixth to take the 3-2 win. Bridgett Morales led off the inning with a full count walk. Makayla Jackson then uncorked a moonshot over the left center field wall to tie the game. Jaylan Gibson and Paxton Donaldson hit back-to-back singles to put runners on with one out. A throwing error by the shortstop allowed Gibson to cross home for what would become the game winning run.
 
Sara Llamas-Howell (4-0) earned the win working 2.2 innings out of the bullpen scattering two hits with a strikeout. Sydney Ward (6-1) suffered her first loss of the season.
 
GAME 2 – No. 1 RSU 6, SWOSU 0
 
In the second game, it was the Hillcats who struck first with a run in the first inning. Chelsea Spain led of the game with another full count walk and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Nicole Price moved her to third with a sacrifice bunt. Lana Gass earned a four-pitch walk to put runners at the corners with one out. Abbey Rogers brought in Spain with a RBI fielder's choice to the shortstop.
 
RSU exploded for five runs in the third inning to extend the lead to 6-0. Gass got on with another four-pitch walk with one out. Rogers drove her in with a single to right center. Bridgett Morales singled up the middle, while Paxton Donaldson singled to center field to load the bases. A Callie Yellin double to right center plated Jackie Zaferes, who pinch ran for Rogers, and Morales. Bobbi Leitha hit her own double to left center to bring in Donaldson and Yellin.
 
The game devolved into another pitcher's duel in the final four innings. Both pitching staffs combined to only allow a single hit in the last four frames stranding a combined two runners.
 
Jade Sanders (3-0) earned the win working a perfect 4.0 innings out of the bullpen. Brianna Cryer (1-3) took the loss.
 
The Hillcats will close out the Raising Cane's Softball Festival tomorrow in Bethany, Okla. with games against Arkansas Tech and host Southern Nazarene. First pitch against ATU is set for 10 a.m. with the game against SNU to begin at 12:30 p.m.